Electric piano.



I. B. SMITH.

ELECTRIC PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.19,1906.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

. I J I I l I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I 1 I I l II wcwI o'a I I l l I I l I I I l l I I l l l I I I l I l I I I l I I I I I l I I l I I I l I I l l I I l I I Irving 3. 5m 17% iii I 5 I. m

I I T I. IIIIIIII P'Emis'mw Q its men; having new eon'iiiinatiens arrangements and mode of operation of elements to flfifiGini'liifiit ti, min anti accurate mito- Er atic actmii iiroinm-rs t nd else the operatio runners.

1e invention eonsi a and in the combiei' operation new will be appended to ny' ng drawings ilitmtmt i r i is the host HHOWTI me inventmin the figure 15 rowing; the rehzrenee nnmerzii "i the f sing oi the imstrnment inch the nietrintnnnn IS lot-Med, and AM izsethe tStttti key-hose and nnmnut t keys: are uispens i with, may he of rectangnier form, eeozn nieat ot inmnt'hwtin-e, not] of minin n; S1 2!(itPOPtiltltt'i I}: euimeity.

have shown but one oi" the hammers, thunper e, magnets-2 :mti othri' e n ien'ts re t e red to, {is exenrniunv ot the set-i oi sin-h tierxioes. To tin more wonh! not. innhe any I my invention ithin the easing tti't! timwi 2t sooiniti 2, strii pinto f5 and strings 4, whieh ttS may tie oi any i znown snitahie type eienz' r on nntierstnmiing o on n'hirh u series of 'ittimi to the severni hi to osriihite, '.)t ii1'tttii teti J't, =i,--I:tii T, tiiiti to ()hl'iiitt e and Htrihe 1 rail (1' in: r he niomhie variously no, "Lion the i to asei in RiiOWit iii-my 1:),

53 i new i i QFEESE;

*GNOEE, MESNE AStEiIG-N- PENNSYLVANIA, .5. (303-- Pottentert Sept. 3, 1 912.

rial No. {353,362.

Feb-

mennteri on the shaft 5 and arranged to engngeemi oseitiate the hammers. The engagement between 'iQVQIS 11 end hammers t; is through the nielqiinn oi ahutmenbpins' 12. 12 at: the butts 13 of the hammers and hetween which the ievers freely play with lost-mo n for 2/2 purpose which Wiii 2]} pear. Cooperating with the hammers are a corresponding series of ieiteti (inti'll'ml's 14, serving the ttSlltli PUIPUSQ, of such devices. The ere :nrried by rockers 15 arranged to rock on a shaft. 16, and associated therewith are in :ms, shown as springs 17, secured to a rail 18 enzl hearing: against the rockers, 2m hy ei'ig'wgement with pins; 9, acting thereon t'o'nniintnin the dampers i'iorn'miiy against the strings. (Jperntively situated with reintion to the rocker 15 are eieetro-nmgnets 20 he roein ra and the oiiioe thereof is to hold the Jumpers away from the strings for periods determined by the eontroliei. devices to Httttt'tilfl'itlfitii (iiti'erent time vnhunzin sixteenth, eighth, quarter, hnlt or \Vhoie notes. in the preferred ortmnizution shown the rorhers are operuttwi to withdraw the. thunp'ers in minimot' the striking ot' the strings in the hammers, h menus rewiring operati n trom tin: hnnimer-uetnoting inemnt. ihi is :n-eonmiinhed hy arranging some ot' the rorhen in the path of extensions 32 ot' the hwut's 1'1; wherehv when suit! ievem are operated to minute the hmnmers 2m deserihmi the IUtifitl'H are first iht'h'tti, \Vh'hdi'iiWiiig the (hnnwm iron) the 31.. and bringing the \vi me they at fit are one: 7

a 1 0 ihereef'a-re earned on 2; series (it levers miter zih'tv of the iron-ehni type the cnsinge i is iune; e magnets severally connected "to the windings of H16 certainty, that the dampers shall be with drawn from he strings before the impact o the hammer.

The-operations of the lieiuiner-uc'iimtine magners 8 and the magnet 2i), ore rcgului by a controller common to both, o suiieble organization by which elected is shown;- end therein the ref numeral designates :icrmiact,

oller common to the several selr (next to be referred to and electrically connected as at to, one end oi. o source electricity, a battery 25 being;' shown for example. Arranged to COIRiHC'b with being suitably carried in and insululicd from u support Ql h nre s, series of contact fingers several hummeruretuuting inuguels, ihe circuit being from contact finger 27 by Wire 28, through magnet winding, by wire 25) lo contact 32, through bridge 31 (on rocker l) coni'sct 30, and Wire iii) buttery The magnets ore included shunts oi the described hammer circuils, and the circuit. of these niaguel' is from buiiiery 25, by Wire i0 ci'intuct to contact ii gcr 27, Wire 9-8, through shunt 3 3:, windiii of lnugnet 20, and wire 33 to buttery 25.

The controller shown is perforated music sheet 37 homing therein perfo-reiiicns representing musical notes of dili erent scale and time value, such as is Well known. and. ilierefore, noi; necessary to be illustrate l.

35 and 36 designate the usual music sheetilced and iekoup rolls. This sheet serves as a circuit-maker for the hoiu1ner-actuut' ing and damper-operating magnets, circuilz-breuker for the circuits of the damn per-operating magnets is WilLbe observed, accordingly, chub the circuits of the damperop'cra-ting magnets are maintained or sustained s greater or lesser period. according to the period of contact of 2'? with 23, and this is governed by the length of the note perforations in the sheet 8?. The ciieci; to hold the damper away from the strin s an interval corresponding ie "the time value of ihe several passing nolc perforations. to secure bones oi diilcrenttime value. he hsummer-actuating megnet-circuils, on the contrary, remain closed for but a moment to impart a quick, uniform, momentary impact of the hainniers against the strings. This operation is accomplished by breaking the circuits of these magnets during the stroke of the hammers, permit-ting; the armstures 10 to fall away from the poles of msgnetsl slightly preceding the nnpnc; oi the hammers upon the strings, and permitting the hammers to rebound from the stringeinstuntly. This is accomplished by the action of the extensions of le 1i rocking the rockers l5 aiid withdimviug the bridges 31 from contacts 30 and 32. The loei-niol'ion connection between levers 11 i 1' ji and the hammers, permits the former t0 dccg vith the urinet-ures 8, immediately he circuiie of the hummer-actuating mag cts are brol cn, to out of the Way of 'ihe not interfere with or impede 1e rebound. inereoi. in their continued fall the leversongege ihe ubutznents 12 and restore the heinrnc u io normul position uguinsfi ilie rest-ruil Y. Y

It will iption 'lliet the main current for eneriziug (he hammer act ,eiing magnets is but a momentary one whereby quick action of the hammer is obtained, enabling a, rapid repetition io accomplished; and, furthermore, with the use of a minimum consume lion of current, lug {L primary battery source or power, The current c nrrols the dzuuper magnets on the nd may be 'xi'ulined as long as he M i.

, depending u llie length of the iioru'rions in iilie controller sheet.

' thus disclosed my invention,

n is: I 7. device the class d scribed, a music: i string, u hammer in operative ice-le tion thereto, 21, n'iagnci'i erznsiure vdirec'cly connected, through a lost-motion ClQVJi with suid hammer, end on elcctromagnct associated with the 'urnmture.

l u device he class described, a musical string, 21 hummer adjacent thereto, an clcciroinugneli, and an arinuzul associated therewith, connected with tl1e bammin", 1501 opera-lion thereof by direct mug netic pull, and movable between certain limits independent of SIlCl'l hunnneia.

In a device of the class described, musical string, a hammer adjacent thereto, on electroruugnef, an armature therefor, combi ed with the hununer, and means conncc bing said al'lililllllleillid hummer, during the lulitcr part only of the movement of the formera device the class described, 21

musical string, a bummer disposed in operwhen ihereio, and provided With abut-mo en elcolro-inegneii, and an crime' to;

i'lic influence of the magnet for moving the huuuu on electron: ieij, an armature be observed by tic foregoing; de-

of hammers for operating musical strings,

serves to move the hammer when in contact with either abutment.

7. In combination, a soundproducing device, a hammer associated therewith, an electro-magnet in cooperative relation with said hammer, a damper, a second electromagnet QOVCI'HlUg the operation of said damper, and means connected with said damper for controlling the circuit of the first named electro tnagnet.

8. in combination, a musical string, a hammer, a damper, a single elect-ro-magnetic means connected With the hammer for both actuating the same and Withdrawing the damper from said string, and additional electromagnetic means rendered operative by the movement of the damper for holding said damper in its withdrawn position. v

9. In automatic, electrical, stringed musical instruments, the combination with a hammer, of an. electro-magnet having an armature arranged to positively actuate the hammer, a rocker mounted independently of said hammer also actuated by said armature, a damper and an armature carried by said rocker, a second electro-magnet acting on said armature to govern said damper, and a circuit-controller for said electromagnets.

10. in. a device of the class described, a musical string, a hammer cooperating therewith, an electroanagnet for operating said hammer, a damper, a second electroauagnet governing the operation of said damper, and means connected with said damper for controlling the circuit of the first named electromagnet.

,l. in a device of the character described,

hammers, electronnagnets for individually and positively :mtuating the same, individual dampers, mains operated by said magnets for vithdrawing the dampers from the strings, and individual means in addition to said magnets for holding said dampers Withdrawn during a. predetermined interval.

12. An automatic electrical stringed must cal instrument comprising a plurality of strings, hammers adjacent thereto, individual dampers associated therewith, elec tin-magnetic means for positively actuating said hammers and dampers, a circuit-controller for said electro-inagnetic means, and iihlividual additional electroanagnctic means goverz'icd by said controller for holding any one of said dampers Withdrawn from its string during a predetern'iincd time alter the respective hammer stroke.

2,3. in automatic elect" :al stringed instruments, a plurality of strings, a plurality thereon, individually holding vidual dampers for the strings, electro-magnetic means for imparting motion to the hammers and for Withdrawing the dampers individually, and individual means for holding each damper Withdrawn While the correspending hammer returns to its normal position.

14. An automatic electrical musical instrument having strings, in combination with a hammer, an electro-magnet, an armature therefor associated with the hammer, said electro-magnet and armature being arranged to positively actuate the hammer by direct magnetic pull, a damper, means operated by said armature for Withdrawing the damper fromca string of the instrument, a second i L. I electro magnet, an armature li iere tor, rigidly connected with the damper i0? holding the withdrawn, and means for de-.

termining the time interval during which the damper is held Withdrawn.

15. An automatic electrical musical instrument, comprising strings, haunners, individual dainpers, electro-magnetic jmeans combined with eachhammer tordircetly actuating the same by magnetic pull and simultaneously withdrawing the cm'responding camper from a string of the instrument, individual additional electro-ma gnetic means for positively holding e rth damper withdrawn from its string, anc controller having means for determining the interval, during which the damper is held Withdrawn.

16, An automatic electrical musical instrument comprising strings, in combination with a hammer, a damper, and electro-mag netic means "for directly operating the hank mer by magnetic pull said means acting to cause a momentary impact of the hammer independent individual means for holding the damper Withdrawn, said means being operative only atter movement of the damper and a controller for determining automatically the interval during r-shicli damper withheld from the string "ll". ln combination, a plurality oi. sound produciiig deric s hammer and damper in cooperative rel .m with each, means for selectively operating said haimners and withdrawing the corresponding dampers, and individual means for automatically holding any damper in its Withdrawn posi-- tion during predetermined interval.

18. in combination, a plurality of sound-- producing devices, a hal'nmer and individual damper coiipcratively associated with each sound producing device, means for autonmtically operating said hammers and dampers, and. means for automatically indicertain of said dampers in position While the correto normal post their operated spending hammers return tion.

' l9. Ail-automatic musical instrument con;

1 risi g soimbproiiucing ilament-s hammers Z h the 01 operating the said elements electrw] 9 time 2; magueis m ged i actuate sa' hammer g dste'rammtures for said sham-magnets secur d 5 $0 saic i hammers, Ciampers separate from the instrument hammers, m ms associarte i Wifll said hm i eiements, electrm 1G cimvnn I01 2; limited pelnd of time, and

zmnfifures for. said leam-magnets assoeiated Wiih the; dmnpers 29. An antm'nabifi :nimsicai instrument com prising" sound-producing elements h umners for operating 'the said elements Electramagnets arranged to actuafe said hammers,

i J {aggravated i1 .nmers for opera? Hm seund-pmdiwmg eiements eiectro-nmg smci slem anis, dan'lpers sqaarate from nets m'ranqeci to 310m. the dampers With hammers, elec"ro-magnets agsaclaied s' V ingers mhich operate to hold said (.ianlp'rs Wifl-d'-aW11 posziilons, means associated with the hammers whereby said dampers are Wit'hd awn wimn the hammers 21's lctuated, and means for determining the Ema which said. desire-magnets will 3.016 5 l dampers in Withdrawn positiens arnmtm ss for said electro-nmgnets seemed l'n 'iasfimcny whereof I have hereuntqset 40 1 id in. presence 0:? two gubscribina Wit zers' for withclmwing the dampers from L0 1 hammers, dampers separate 1mm the my 12. hammers associated with smc. ha'm- 1 A for withdmwing@112 dampen from the sound prnducang elements, eiectrwmagnets arranged M tbs dmnpeas *wlchdmwn f0): :1 i2.

=5 messes 'miie period of aims, m maimres for 

